Method and device for the exchanging data

ABSTRACT

A system for exchanging data includes at least two memory units, each unit functioning as both a transmitter and a receiver of data. The exchange of data occurs whenever at least two memory units are within a certain distance of each other. The user is thus capable of simultaneously being both a transmitter and a receiver of data, such that the transmitter can sent data continuously but can receive data transmitted from other memory units only when the receiver is within a certain distance from a transmitter. As a result, data are received only by those memory units that are located in the immediate environment of the transmitter. Since the data transmitted can be selected personally by the user, the data thus reflects the preferences of the user acting as the transmitter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system for exchanging data, and inparticular to such a system with various features that facilitate theexchange of data according to specific parameters.

A radio system is generally known in which selected radio stations havethe ability to broadcast information to a large number of people. Anindividual person can, as desired, avail himself of what the radiostation offers, but has only a limited ability to send informationhimself, or even to comment on or modify the information. The sameapplies to the broadcasting of television programs, which is reservedfor a few selected television broadcasters. In these situations, thelistener or viewer is acting strictly as a receiver of information.

In regard to written text as well, there exists a limited number ofpublishers that publish newspapers and distribute them to a large numberof people. Here again, the individual can only consume what is offeredand has only limited possibilities of influencing the informationdistributed. For example, in the case of newspapers there is thepossibility of submitting letters from readers which are then, however,often shifted in time and often not printed in combination with theoriginal information.

What is needed is a system in which an individual person is not only areceiver but also a transmitter of information and, as such, can have adirect influence on the information received by others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system for exchanging data includes at least two memory units eachfunctioning as both a transmitter and a receiver of data. The exchangeof data occurs whenever two memory units are within a certain distanceof each other. The user of such a memory unit is thus capable ofsimultaneously being both a transmitter and a receiver of data, suchthat the transmitter can send data continuously but can receive datatransmitted from other memory units only when the receiver is within acertain distance from a transmitter. As a result, data are received onlyby those memory units that are located in the immediate environment ofthe transmitter. Since the data transmitted can be selected personallyby the user of the memory unit—the data being able to be transmitted inany form, for example, as music pieces, text, television broadcasts, orother forms—the data thus reflect the social environment in which thetransmitter happens to be situated. To this end, each person preferablyhas such a memory unit which participates in the exchange of data sothat information is exchanged through the memory units with every personencountered.

The exchange of data can be implemented using electrical or opticalcables, laser light, or infrared interfaces or wireless interfaces. Onepossibility is a manually forced exchange of data, for example, througha link of two memory units by a cable and appropriate manual commands onone of the memory units. A desired approach is to use wirelesstransmission of data so personal contact need not be established withevery user.

The distance between two memory units can be measured by a calibrationsignal. It is also possible to vary the distance between which anexchange of data occurs to be able to select a smaller receiving radiusin a constrained space, for example, a shopping center, as opposed tomore wide open spaces.

The memory units preferably have unique identifiers, which enableassignment of the received data to a specific memory unit. Inparticular, it enables control of data sent and received such that, forexample, no data would be exchanged over a certain period of time with amemory unit with which data have already been exchanged. This ensuresthat when two memory units meet, certain data are exchanged only once.

The memory unit preferably has a memory capacity that can record largequantities of data. Only this way can the large quantity of databroadcast by all memory units in the immediate environment be stored ina receiving memory unit. In the event the capacity of the memory unit isexceeded, the newly received data should preferably not be rejected;instead, unimportant data or the oldest data are deleted based oncertain rules to provide memory capacity for the new incoming data.

The exchange of data occurs in an automated fashion, thereby enablinglarge quantities of data to be transmitted and received. It would bedifficult for an individual user to employ manual control of the dataexchange to successfully exchange data with everyone in, for example, ashopping center.

Some portion or all of the data of a memory unit is automaticallytransmitted upon an encounter with another memory unit. The datainvolved here are primarily data upon which the transmitter places highvalue. The transmitted data are preferably stored on the receivingmemory unit without the approval thereof. As a result, the user of thememory unit understands what people in his immediate environmentconsider to be important.

In addition, the exchange of data is controlled by a system of rules;for example, one memory unit is searched based on what another user isseeking. The system of rules can thus contain specific requests from theuser, for example, for a certain musical piece. In addition, preferencesdefined by the user are contained in the system of rules regardingrequested data to be received and recorded from other memory units.These preferences do not contain specific requests but instead indicate,for example, that all available data on a certain topic, for example,sports, should be transmitted to the user's memory unit.

The preferences contained in the rules system may be adapted to theuser's behavior by monitoring the user. If certain data are notrequested immediately or not at all within a certain period of time bythe user, the relevant preference is given a lower priority. Data thatcan be linked to this preference will not be stored at all, or to alesser extent, in the future. In addition, such data can beautomatically deleted in order to release memory space for other morerelevant data.

The data are provided with certain supplementary information, forexample, an index which indicates the number of memory units to whichdata have been sent. As a result, the user knows the extent to which hisdata have been received by other memory units. In addition, the datawith supplementary information have an index which indicates how oftenthe user has received these data from various memory units. As a result,it is possible to estimate how many users consider this message to beimportant. In addition, these data with supplementary information havean index which indicates the number of different memory units the datafrom the original sender have passed through unmodified before beingreceived. If this index is especially large, then many users considerthis message in its original form to be important. In addition, the datawith supplementary information have an index which indicates in how manydifferent memory units these data have been modified. As a result, theuser can retrace how often these data have been commented on by varioususers.

The data with supplementary information have meta-data which identifythe relationship between different data. The above-described indexessupply information exclusively on the data itself. However, it isadvantageous also to receive information on the relationship between thedifferent data.

Among other things, the meta-data contain information on additional datathat have been linked with the original data, preferably, eithertransmitted or received in combination. If, for example, two differentdata sets have been sent together, but a given user has received onlyone data set, the meta-data of this data set enable the user to receiveinformation on the second data set, or to perform a targeted search ofthe second data set. In addition, from the meta-data a determination canbe made as to how often certain data have been interlinked with otherdata by a user.

The meta-data preferably contain information on the identifier of thememory unit in which certain data have been linked to other data. Thisprovides information as to whether a certain type of data has beenlinked to another type of data only in a certain memory unit.

Memory units can be associated with certain interest groups based on themeta-data. For example, if a user of a memory unit is interestedprimarily in specific topics, such as archaeology and pottery, themeta-data enable the user to seek out those memory units in which thesetopics preferentially occur in combination.

This feature provides another advantage in which those relationshipsbetween the data are preferentially considered which the members of acertain interest group have created.

The received data are preferably stored in the memory unit based on anorganizing system of rules. The user profile is advantageously containedin the organizing system of rules. As a result, the user firstencounters the data requested by him and the data that most closely meethis preferences.

Sorting can be performed in the organizing system of rules based on theindexes. As a result, the user is presented with data received or sentfrequently, as the most important data.

Preferably, the meta-data of the data can be used in the organizingsystem of rules to organize the data. This enables, for example, datasent by members of a certain interest group to be listed first.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent in light of the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments thereof, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The sole FIGURE is a schematic view of a system for exchanging data.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The figure illustrates a system 5 having a multiplicity of persons 10acting as users who have direct access to a quantity of data orinformation represented as dots 20. These data 20 are stored on memoryunits 30 that mutually communicate without direct access by the user 10.Certain data 20 are always linked, as illustrated by a connection line40 between the data dots 20. These data are typically transmitted incombination, or correspond to similar preferences.

The figure also illustrates an additional provider, referred to as asystem provider 50, which is not necessarily an individual person. Aswith radio and television, in the system 5 a public or privateestablishment can also exist that participates in the exchange of data20. On one hand, such an establishment can also transmit its own data20. On the other hand, such an establishment can assume the task ofobserving developments and trends of the data 20 transmitted,immediately commenting on and, as necessary, moderating the news andmessages. This way, a user 10 of the memory unit 30 can have a directinfluence on the information 20 received by others.

For an individual person, the motivation for using such a memory unit 30lies primarily in the ability to communicate with others and to beup-to-date with respect to the most current news and messages, while onthe other hand transmitting his own messages and news.

Each memory unit 30 has a relatively memory capacity. It is alreadyfeasible to fabricate hard discs with a memory capacity of 100 GB, andwithin the foreseeable future it will be possible to increase thismemory capacity by several orders of magnitude. Such a large memorycapacity is necessary in order to save the data transmitted by allpersons 10 in the immediate environment, specifically in order to beable to transmit memory-intensive data such as videos.

The memory unit 30 can be connected by a cable link or an infraredinterface to a computer through which the user 10 is able to transferhis own data 20 to the memory unit 30. In addition, the memory unit 30can be connected to a television set or a video recorder in order torecord television programs and videos. In addition, the memory unit 30is equipped with a speech recognition program which converts texts ormusic pieces received through a microphone into written text or digitaldata.

The user is thus able to use different means to transfer his own data 20to the memory unit 30. In addition, he can assign a weighting factor tothe data 20 to determine which data 20 should be sent preferentially. Inaddition, he can indicate in his own system of rules regulating theexchange of data 20 between any two memory units 30 what type of data 20he is seeking. On the one hand, specific requests, such as music piecesor a certain video may be indicated that are being sought on the memoryunits 30 of other users 10. In addition, preferences may be indicated,according to which the system of rules searches in an automated fashionfor relevant data 20 on the other memory units 30. For example, a newstext which the user 10 considers especially important can be given ahigh importance rating. However, it is also possible to provide a highimportance rating to images, short videos, or rumors, so that these data20 specifically will be transmitted to all memory units 30 with whichdata 20 are being exchanged.

The memory unit 30 is equipped with an interface which enables awireless exchange of data with other memory units 30. It is alsopossible, however, to exchange data 20 with other memory units 30through a cable. However, direct contact with a user 10 of anothermemory unit 30 is required for this purpose. It is a desirable featurethat the user's 10 own data 20 are transmitted preferentially through awireless interface to as many units 30 as possible, without knowingexactly who is requesting these data 20.

In addition, the memory unit 30 sends out a calibration signal, based onwhich the distance to the other memory units 30 can be estimated. Theuser 10 can select a specific receiving radius indicating the distancewithin which data 20 are exchanged with other memory units 30.

The user 10 now moves with his memory unit 30 in areas in which heencounters other users 10 of memory units 30. Whenever another memoryunit 30 is located within the receiving radius of this own memory unit30, data 20 are exchanged between the two memory units 30. Each memoryunit 30 functions simultaneously as a transmitter and a receiver.

Initially, each memory unit 30 transmits what the user 10 considers tobe especially important information or data 20. The user 10 has thechoice as to whether he wants as a rule to store on his memory unit 30all of the data 20 sent by other memory units 30, or to interpose afilter which accepts for storage only data 20 having certaincharacteristics. For example, only data 20 that matches the preferencesof the user 10 can be selected. It is also possible to accept only data20 having high indexes, as described below. As a result, only part ofthe data 20 being sent by another memory unit 30 is initially received.

In addition, the other memory unit 30 is searched by the memory unit 30in an automated fashion for that which corresponds to the user profile.The search here can, on the one hand, be for specific data 20 such asmusic pieces or, on the other hand, the memory unit 30 can be searchedfor the data 20 that most closely match the preferences of the user 10.Data 20 that are received frequently can be relayed on, preferably in anautomated fashion.

The data 20 continue to be exchanged between the two memory units 30 aslong as the other memory unit 30 is located within the receiving radiusof the user's memory unit 30. In the event data 20 are exchanged forwhich the transmission time is longer than the exchange time between thetwo memory units 30—for example, because a certain video was sought bythe user 10—it is possible for his own memory unit 30 to register whichsegment of the video has already been transmitted, then to transfer thenext segment of the video during a subsequent encounter with a thirdmemory unit 30 on which this video is also located. As a result, largerdata sets 20 may be transferred piecewise to the user's own memory unit30 from different memory units 30.

The transmitted data 20 can be linked with different indexes andmeta-data. A first index to the user's own data 20 indicates the numberof memory units 30 to which the corresponding data 20 have beentransmitted. In addition, the user 10 can determine how many memoryunits 30 have not accepted the data 20 since they did not match theprofile of the user 10 of the other memory unit 30. The user 10 thusgains an overview as to how interesting his own data 20 were for otherusers.

A second index to the data 20 contained by the other memory units 30indicates how often the user 10 has received these data 20 from variousmemory units 30. This provides the user 10 with an overview of whichmessages are currently considered important by many people.

A third index indicates the number of different memory units 30 throughwhich the data 20 from the original transmitter have passed unmodifiedbefore they were received on the user's memory device 30. Each timethese data 20 are transmitted from one memory unit 30 to the next unit30 this index is incremented by 1. This index also indicates howimportant the general public considers these data 20 to be.

Another index indicates the number of different memory units 30 on whichthese data 20 have been modified. The user of a memory unit 30 isprovided with the ability to pass on the received data 20, such as texttogether with his own commentaries.

The indexes relate exclusively to the data set 20 to which they havebeen assigned. In addition, meta-data are sent together with the data20, the meta-data identifying the relationship between different data20. Using the meta-data, the user 10 can determine which additional data20 have been sent or received in combination with the original data 20.For example, if in the “Sports” category one of the top messages has areport about a new world record, and if in 90% of the messages sent thismessage is sent simultaneously together with the interview of therelevant athlete, yet the user 10 of the memory unit 30 has receivedonly the first message, the meta-data enable him to learn about thesecond item and then perform a targeted search for it. The meta-dataadditionally provide information about how often certain data 20 arelinked with other data 20 by a user 10. In the above example of a worldrecord, the rumor about suspected doping on the part of the athlete may,for example, be significantly more interesting than the interview withthe athlete.

Each memory unit 30 contains a unique identifier which is simultaneouslytransmitted together with the meta-data. Specifically, the meta-datacontain the identifier of the memory unit 30 in which certain data 20have been linked with other data 20. This is especially interesting fora user 10 of a memory unit 30 in cases when certain memory 30 areassociated with certain interest groups, and this information istransmitted by the meta-data. When data 20 are exchanged, therelationship of data 20 can be taken into account that has been createdby members of a certain interest group. A user 10 primarily interestedin information about “Science and Technology” thus has the ability bothto filter out corresponding data 20 based on his user profile, and torequest data 20 in a targeted fashion from those memory units 30 whoseusers 10 are also interested in this subject.

If the user 10 does restrict reception of incoming data 20 by means of asystem of rules, but allows all incoming data 20 to be stored in thememory unit 30, he thus obtains information about all the people he hasencountered. Depending on the environments in which he is located, thereceived data 20 will reflect the social environment. If he is locatedin school, for example, the top messages could include mathematicshomework or the latest information on the new Latin teacher. In ashopping center, the most important messages may involve which productsare on sale. The type of music pieces exchanged will also varysignificantly in different environments. Furthermore, one and the samemessage may be subject to completely different commentary and modifiedaccordingly in one environment than in another environment.

The incoming data 20 are filed in the memory unit 30 according to anorganizing system of rules. This system of rules takes into account boththe user profile and the indexes and the meta-data. If the memorycapacity is too small for all incoming data 20, the system of rules candecide automatically which data 20 are either interesting or unimportantto the user 10. Any data 20 that do not match the user profile can beautomatically deleted to leave space for additional incoming data 20.

At any given point in time, the user 10 obtains an overview of the data20 received. For example, he can have the top messages listed, ormessages which have been newly received on that day. He can checkwhether his transmitted data 20 have been accepted by the overwhelmingmajority of memory units 30 contacted. In addition, he can modify data20 received and display the data 20 that most closely match his userprofile. Specifically, he obtains a snapshot of the social structurewith which he has had contact on that day.

Although the present invention has been shown and described with respectto several preferred embodiments thereof, various changes, omissions andadditions to the form and detail thereof, may be made therein, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A system for exchanging data, comprising two memory units, eachmemory unit being configured both as a transmitter of data and areceiver of data, wherein an exchange of data between the memory unitsoccurs whenever the two memory units are within a certain distance fromeach other, wherein the distance between the units is variable, whereinan exchange of data is controlled by a system of rules in whichpreferences are defined by a user of one of the memory units andrelating to requested data to be recorded from another one of the memoryunits, and wherein a certain portion of the data are provided withsupplementary information.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The system of claims 1,wherein the exchange of data occurs wirelessly.
 4. The system of claim1, wherein the distance between the two memory units can be determinedby a calibration signal.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of thetwo memory units has a unique identifier.
 6. The system of claim 1,wherein for a predetermined period of time no additional data areexchanged with a certain one of the memory units with which data havealready been exchanged.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion ofthe data from a first one of the memory units is transmittedautomatically to a second one of the memory units.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the data transmitted from one of the memory units isstored on another one of the memory units.
 9. The system of claim 1wherein one of the memory units is searched for data by the system ofrules.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein preferences contained in thesystem of rules are adapted to the behavior of the user of one of thememory units by user monitoring.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein thedata provided with the supplementary information have an index whichindicates the number of the memory units to which the corresponding datahave been transmitted.
 12. The system of claim 1 wherein the dataprovided with the supplementary information have an index whichindicates how often the user has obtained these data from certain onesof the memory units.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the dataprovided with the supplementary information have an index whichindicates the number of the memory units with the data from the memoryunit that transmitted data in which the data have been unmodified beforebeing received by one of the memory units.
 14. The Method system ofclaim 1, wherein the data with the supplementary information have anindex which indicates in how many of the memory units have modified thedata.
 15. The system of claim 1 wherein the data with the supplementaryinformation have meta-data which identify a relationship between thedata.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the meta-data containinformation on additional data which have been linked to the data. 17.The system of claim 15, wherein from the meta-data a determination canbe made as to how often certain data have been interlinked by a userwith other data.
 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the meta-datacontain information about an identification of the memory unit in whichcertain data have been linked with other data.
 19. The system of claim18, wherein the memory units can be associated with certain interestgroups based on the meta-data.
 20. The system of claim 19, whereinduring the exchange of data those relationships which have been createdby members of a certain interest group are taken into account.
 21. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the received data are stored in the memoryunit according to an organizing system of rules.
 22. The system of claim21, wherein the organizing system of rules contains a profile of theuser.
 23. The system of claim 21, wherein in the organizing system ofrules is sorted based on the indexes.
 24. The system of claim 21,wherein in the organizing system of rules the data is organized based onmeta-information of the data.
 25. (canceled)
 26. (canceled)
 27. A devicefor exchanging data, comprising: a microphone that provides audio data;a memory unit that includes an executable speech recognition program; awireless receiver that receives incoming data and provides receivedincoming data; a processor that receives and compares said receivedincoming data to receiver rules in decide if said received incoming datasatisfies said receiver rules and if so said processor writes saidreceived incoming data to said memory unit, and said processor processessaid audio data using said speech recognition program; and a low powerwireless transmitter that transmits information stored in said memoryunit.